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Celebrating Arab Cultures Events Set for February 8-11

Announced: February 1, 2007

The International Programs Office and the Arab students and faculty of Texas A&M University are pleased to announce the upcoming Celebrating Arab Cultures Event set for Feb. 8-11, 2007.

Associate Vice President for International Programs, Dr. Emily Ashworth said the week is designed to promote a better understanding of cultures and the students and faculty who bring with them a rich and diverse Arab cultures.

“We have more than 100 students from Arab countries attending Texas A&M and in addition we have close to 185 students at our Texas A&M University Qatar Campus,” Ashworth said. “These students want the campus and the local community to know them by the Arab culture and people through this cultural week”

CAC Event Chair Abdullah Al-Sultan, a graduate student in the Dwight Look College of Engineering, believes that this week is significant for Arab students on campus, because it provides them with the opportunity to dispel stereotypes.

“We want to share our culture and learn from this mutual exchange” Al-Sultan said. “Arab culture is really misunderstood when portrayed by the media, and it's important that people learn it first hand. If we can open one mind or change one attitude for the better we will feel we have been successful.”

Linda Edwards, Director of the Office of International Outreach said there is something for everyone during the week.

“Our Arab students have worked hard to bring a variety of wonderful events that will give us knowledge of Arabs that is quite different from what we may see portrayed on our television sets,” Edwards said. “This event is a follow-up to a very successful event held in 2005 and it has opened the door to opportunities for Texas A&M students, the Bryan-College Station communities, and Aggie Arabs to learn from each other as we learn about each other.”

The week is filled with activities and events beginning on Thursday with the Opening Ceremony in the Flag Room of the MSC, country displays and cultural activities.

“The students want to include the local community in the celebration,” said Edwards. “Students have invited senior citizens to a “Tea Party” at the EXIT Teen Center on Rock Prairie Road and will provide activities for children at the Brazos Valley Children’s Museum on Feb. 17.”

Edwards said plans include a keynote address presented by His Excellency Nasser Bin Hamad M. Al-Khalifa, Ambassador to the United States from the State of Qatar on Thursday Feb. 8, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. in the Orientation Theater of the George Bush Presidential Conference Center. The Ambassador will be speaking on “The U.S. and the Arab World: What we can learn from each other.”

“This is a free but ticketed event,” Edwards said. “Tickets are available at the MSC Box office and at the International Center in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center on West Campus in the Presidential Library complex.”

On Friday, Dr. Philip Salem, Texas A&M University International Board member and world renowned cancer physician will present “Partners or Enemies: Arabs in America” at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9 in the Orientation Theater of the George Bush Presidential Conference Center. This event is free and open to the public, no ticket is necessary.

Celebrating Arab Cultures Week is coordinated by the International Programs Office, the International Center, and the Qatar Support Office, at Texas A&M University and the event has been sponsored by many helpful organization such as SABIC Americas, the Bush Presidential Library Foundation and the Evans Library Office of Diversity.

For more detailed information about Celebrating Arab Cultures and a schedule of events, visit http://cac.tamu.edu

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